Saturday, March 7, 2015

March 2015 Commencement Speakers



Cassandra Caldarella, CSR

South Coast College Alumna/Court Reporter


Cassandra Caldarella graduated from South Coast College in Orange, CA, and has been reporting since 2003.  She is an experienced court reporter who specializes in the courtroom arena. She has reported in court for over eight years as an official and official pro tempore for three counties – Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Diego County Superior Courts. She is an ex-official of Los Angeles Superior Court where she reported hundreds of trials in civil, criminal, family, and probate courtrooms. She is on the court approved lists for Los Angeles Superior Court and Orange County Superior Court. Since the privatization of court reporters in civil court in LA Superior Court in 2012, Cassandra has reported more than 60 civil trials, including asbestos, toxic tort, medical malpractice, wrongful death, and employment and she has successfully completed hundreds of appeals.

Tom Sinsky, J.D.

Career Placement Coordinator, Medical


Tom Sinsky earned a J.D. from the University of Wisconsin Law School, a Masters in English from Loyola Marymount, and an MFA from USC Film School.  Five of his screen plays each advanced into multiple competitions.  He has been teaching law, English and media classes since the mid 1990s at schools including the University of La Verne, Bryan University, and South Coast College.  He is currently a law professor and Career Placement Coordinator at South Coast College. Like William Dixon, Director of Paralegal Studies, Tom is a former Disneyland Jungle Cruise Guide. 


Emely Cruz, J.D.

Career Placement Coordinator, Legal


Emely Cruz has been an instructor at South Coast College for 11 years and a law professor at Pacific West Law School for 1 ½ years.  Prior to becoming a paralegal, she had obtained a B.S. degree in Plastics Engineering.  She decided to become a Paralegal because while she was working at Custom Building Products as a Human Resources Administrator.  Because employees would seek her help on legal issues, she decided to pursue a paralegal degree to be more knowledgeable in the law.  After she obtained a Paralegal degree, she decided to pursue the Juris Doctorate degree.  In her second year of law school, she became a law clerk for the Law Offices of Kevin O’Connell.  She worked at that law office for 10 years and began teaching Paralegal Studies at South Coast College.  Currently, she is the Career Placement and Externship Coordinator, a professor of Paralegal Studies at South Coast College, and a freelance paralegal.  She even handles immigration cases for the law firm of Marlin Branstter, J.D., our Master of Ceremonies.

To find out more about any of the career choices at South Coast College, click the link South Coast College and go to GET INFO NOW!